Romans Lesson Page

Romans Chapter 2

Memory verses for this week: Prov 24:6  For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety.

Introduction:     Last week, we finished up chapter one as we found that God is very upset by man’s sin.  Because of sin, we face the wrath of God unless we come to Christ for forgiveness and salvation.   The chapter ended showing how far man has fallen from his original sinless state.   Some are so inclined to sin that they have seared the conscience as it were with a hot iron.   All men and women will one day face the judgement of God.  The saved at  the Judgement Seat of Christ to determine our rewards, the lost at the Great White Throne Judgment where the lost will be separated from God forever.

I.                     No Man Will Escape the Judgment of God

Rom 2:1  Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.

Rom 2:2  But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.

Man has always been quick to judge others.   Those that Paul was writing this letter to there in Rome were guilty of judging others.   He warns them that by being judgmental, they were effectively condemning themselves.   The old saying goes “When you point a finger at someone else, always remember that you have your thumb and three fingers pointing back at yourself.”   Wise counsel is to examine ourselves and let God do the judging of others.

James 4:11  Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.

James 4:12  There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?

Rom 14:10  But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

Rom 14:11  For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.

Rom 14:12  So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

Rom 14:13  Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.

Mat 7:1  Judge not, that ye be not judged.

Mat 7:2  For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

Mat 7:3  And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

Mat 7:4  Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?

Mat 7:5  Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

God wakes it clear that we should be far more concerned about our own spiritual condition than to be worrying about the sin that might be in our brother or sister.  God’s judgment is not like man’s, but is according to truth.  Christ came in Paul’s time period to be the Savior of Men.  But when He returns this next time, it will be as the Righteous Judge.   Fair and impartial judgment will come when Christ returns to take the Throne of David.  There are some things that God has passed judgment on already.   One of them is the condemnation of man due to his sin.   Sin brings forth death, but sin is not what causes us to be condemned into Hell.  That is due to rejecting Christ as our Lord and Savior.   God gave up His only begotten Son to come and live a sinless life and to lay down His life for us on Calvary.  When we reject that perfect gift, we do not have to wait to see if we are condemned.  In John chapter 3, it says we are condemned already.

John 3:18  He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Rom 2:3  And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?

Rom 2:4  Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

The bible mentions many sins that dishonor God such as adultery, murder, stealing, etc.  Some that judge man for doing these things are guilty of the same offenses.  In verse 3, God warns man that those that do those things and point a finger at others will not escape God’s righteous judgment.   When we are rigid and hard and unforgiving, and all we see is the sin in others, you can be assured that the judgment you face will be difficult one day.

Mat 7:2  For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

God is a merciful and longsuffering Heavenly Father, and today He does not bring immediate judgment on us like Adam faced in the garden of Eden.

Gen 2:16  And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:

Gen 2:17  But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

When Adam and Eve partook of the forbidden fruit, we know that they died a spiritual death on that day.    They lost their full and perfect fellowship with God, and they ran and hid themselves because they were fearful of God.  Never had they ran or feared God in this manner.  But when they ate of the forbidden fruit, they separated themselves from God.   And the only way we can come back to God is through the blood of Jesus Christ.   God is a wonderful Creator, and He wants all men to come unto Him.   Christ’s death on Calvary was sufficient to pay the sin debt of all mankind, but only a few ever come to Christ.

2 Pet 3:9  The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

In verse 4, Paul was trying to make the Romans understand that the goodness and delay that they experienced was intended to lead them to repentance.  God works in some strange and mysterious ways.

Rom 2:5  But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;

Rom 2:6  Who will render to every man according to his deeds:

When we go on in our ingratitude for what God has done for us and do not repent, we heap upon ourselves more wrath and greater charges that will be brought against us at the day we stand before God.  Every man will be judged according to our works.   What we have done wrong will be brought up, as well as the things we failed to do that God would have liked for us to do.   When we walk in total fellowship with the Lord, He guides our every step and we do those things pleasing in His sight.   When we walk according to the flesh, I’m afraid that the important things get left out many times.

2 Cor 5:10  For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

Rev 20:11  And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

Rev 20:12  And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

We see the two different judgments mentioned in these verses.  The Christian, the saved individual, will stand before Christ to determine what rewards we will receive.  This is not to determine whether we enter Heaven or not.  That is decided in this life based upon whether we have ever accepted Jesus as our Personal Lord and Savior.   The lost people will have to stand before the Great White Throne Judgment to be cast into Hell for rejecting the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior.

Mat 12:31  Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.

Mat 12:32  And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.

When we blaspheme the Holy Ghost, there is no hope for us.  In other words, when we hear the Gospel, God’s Holy Spirit draws and convicts us, and we still refuse to repent and to come to God in faith, we have no hope.

Rom 2:7  To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:

Only the saved person will continue in well doing.   If we turn over a new leaf, we may do good for a season, but then we return to our old ways.  The person who is born again is born unto good works which are ordained of God.   Our bodies become the temples of the Holy Ghost, and we are not our own, but we are bought with a price.    If you are lost, the work that God would have you to do is to believe on the name of Jesus Christ.

John 6:28  Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?

John 6:29  Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

You remember the story of the rich young ruler over in Mark.  He wanted so much to do something to be saved.   He came claiming total righteousness, but Jesus made him go away sorrowing because he had broken the very first commandment to love God first and foremost.  He loved his money more than God.  Everything that we have truly is owned by God, and if He has need of it, we should willingly give it to His service.

Mark 10:17  And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?

Mark 10:18  And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.

Mark 10:19  Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.

Mark 10:20  And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.

Mark 10:21  Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.

Mark 10:22  And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.

Rom 2:8  But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,

Rom 2:9  Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;

Paul warns the Romans that everyone who disobeys the truth, whether Jew or Gentile, that they wrath of God will come upon them.

Rom 2:10  But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:

Rom 2:11  For there is no respect of persons with God.

The only good works that will stand the test of God are those done in Christ.  Works outside of Christ are of no avail.   We are told how that in that day that our works will be tried, so as by fire.  The good things we have done in God’s work, done God’s way, will be the silver, gold, and precious stones.  The wood, hay and stubble speak of works done in the power of the flesh.  All will be burned up.  But to prove salvation is a free gift, the verses go on to say that even if everything we ever did was burned up, we would still be saved, so as by fire.

1 Cor 3:11  For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

1 Cor 3:12  Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;

1 Cor 3:13  Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.

1 Cor 3:14  If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.

1 Cor 3:15  If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

God is not like man who shows partiality between one another.  God is no respecter of persons.  If we want to come to God, we will come via His son Jesus Christ.  Just like Paul desired, we that make it to heaven will stand in the imputed righteousness of Christ.   Our works are as filthy rags before God.   But Jesus was the perfect atonement for our sin, and God has accepted His blood payment for our sins.   The gentile who is without the law will perish if he reject Jesus as his savior.  The same for the Jew who has the law but still does not come to Christ for salvation.  As we read earlier, all are condemned already because they have not believed in the name of Jesus Christ.

Rom 2:12  For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;

Rom 2:13  (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.

Rom 2:14  For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:

Verse 13 tells us that it is the doer of the law who shall be justified.   Just hearing the truth does not make us a child of God.   But the man or woman who hears the Gospel, turns to Christ with all his heart,  will be saved.  And because of what Jesus has done for us, we will work because of what God has done for us.

James 1:23  For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:

James 1:24  For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.

James 1:25  But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

Rom 2:15  Which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)

Rom 2:16  In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

One day, all the secrets of men will be judged according to Paul’s gospel.   We may can fool man with an outward show, but God is never fooled.  He knows us for what we truly are.

John 2:24  But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men,

John 2:25  And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.

II.                  Special Privileges of the Jews

Rom 2:17  Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God,

Rom 2:18  And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law;

Being God’s chosen nation was a wonderful blessing, and Israel did have some special privileges.   They were the people of God.

Amos 3:2  You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.

This is interesting in comparison to where we stand in God’s family today.

Eph 2:11  Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;

Eph 2:12  That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:

Eph 2:13  But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

When we are given special privileges, that increases our responsibilities.   The Jews were to know God’s Will and to prove things that were better.  This was to be done by study of the law and Old Testament scriptures.

Rom 2:19  And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness,

Rom 2:20  An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law.

The Jews were to be guides to the blind, but unfortunately, most of them were blind themselves.  They did not see Jesus as the Messiah sent from God.  They were to teach and instruct from the scriptures, but to do this, one must know the word of God.

Heb 5:11  Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.

Heb 5:12  For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.

Heb 5:13  For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.

Heb 5:14  But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Rom 2:21  Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?

Rom 2:22  Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?

Rom 2:23  Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?

These verses warn us that we should practice what we preach.  Nothing comes over more vain than to tell others to live Godly lives, and then we turn and live immorally.   We should be men and women of integrity, speaking and acting consistently day to day.

Rom 2:24  For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.

Rom 2:25  For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision.

Rom 2:26  Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?

Rom 2:27  And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law?

Because of the breaking of the laws, it gave the gentiles reason to blaspheme.  When people do things in God’s name and glorify self, this is not honoring to our Heavenly Savior.   Our perfect example is Jesus Christ.  He came humbly, not making a name for Himself, but doing everything for the honor and glory of God.  And He did it without sin.

Rom 2:28  For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:

Rom 2:29  But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

Circumcision was only profitable if they kept the law.   It has no value at all in regards to salvation.  It as a sign of the seal of righteousness of faith.   As it was with circumcision, our faith and teachings are of little influence if we do not prove them by our works.

James 2:17  Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

James 2:18  Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works.

Rom 4:9  Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.

Gal 3:28  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

Gal 3:29  And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Phil 3:3  For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

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Prov 4:18  But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

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